


It Doesn't Get Better

by DragonoftheMidwest



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Babies, Childbirth, F/M, Fluff, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 10:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9891413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonoftheMidwest/pseuds/DragonoftheMidwest
Summary: After the Institute, Arthur and Jessie take on their next challenge.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here's some Maxson fluff that the fandom needs more of.

                Arthur woke with a groan as Jessie rolled out of bed and dashed to the bathroom that was contained in their quarters. They had been married just for two weeks and she had been ill for half of that. He shuffled after her, kneeling with her and holding her long, honey colored hair as she emptied her stomach into the toilet.

            “Jess, you aren’t getting better, you need to go see Cade today and figure out what’s wrong.” At first, they thought it was a stomach bug, since everybody on the Prydwen had been fighting something and the close quarters almost guaranteed catching something from somebody; but as this was the sixth day that they woke up to him holding her hair as her dinner from the night before made a reappearance, he was concerned that something more serious was going on.

            Tired green eyes peeked out at him from under her arm, where she was still hanging her head. “Fine, let me brush my teeth and we can go.”  She flushed the toilet and braced herself against the porcelain to push herself up on still shaky legs. Arthur followed her up and joined her in brushing his teeth. They threw clothes on. He in his jumpsuit without his coat, she in a pair of his pajama pants and a shirt, made quite a sight on their way to the med bay.

            “Ah, the lovely couple surfaces! What can I do for you two this morning?” Cade set his coffee down and picked up his clipboard as he approached the Elder and his wife.

            “Sentinel Maxson has been ill the last six days. We just want to figure out what’s ailing her.” Arthur stated plainly, hiding the simple joy of addressing Jessie as Sentinel _Maxson_. If somebody had told him that the vault dweller that Danse wouldn’t stop bringing up in his field reports before he brought her onto the Prydwen would become his _wife_ , he would have told them to submit themselves for a psychiatric evaluation. Sure, he had been attracted to her when she stepped onto the command deck for the first time. With her golden hair in a braid, sunglasses perched on top of her head and leaving her forest green eyes free for him to get lost in, and delicious curves; Arthur had to pause for a moment to take in the pre-war beauty before he continued his speech.

            A year later, and they had taken down the Institute, united the Commonwealth under the Minutemen and Brotherhood of Steel, and fallen in love. They made passionate love for the first time in his- thankfully soundproofed- quarters after they had blown the Institute sky high. He had confessed his love for her as he finished inside of her. Tender kisses and her whispering her love back to him followed and they spent the rest of the night learning each other’s bodies and talking about their pasts. He told her of growing up in the Brotherhood, of being forged in eternal steel, of being a child soldier. She told him of her pre-war life with her law degree, her husband, and her son. She told him tearfully about the truth behind who her son was, what he had done, and he held her as she mourned having to end his life. His heart ached with hers, and he swore that she would never feel such loss and pain if he had anything to say about it.

            Her hand squeezed his, and he was brought out of his memories back to the med bay. She was still sick, and he needed to focus on the here and now.

            “Your symptoms don’t seem to highlight any serious disease. I can still do a blood test to check for anything we might have missed. It may just be a 200 year difference in stomach bugs and your immune system.” Cade turned around to put on gloves and grab a vial to collect blood in. He seemed to have an epiphany, because he paused and asked suddenly, “One last question, Sentinel. When was your last menstrual cycle?”

            Jessie hesitated, “That was.” Her nose scrunched up as she counted the days back. “Oh!” she gasped.

            Cade smiled, “I don’t think we need to do any blood tests now?”

            “That would be correct.” Jessie smiled back.

            “What do you mean?” Arthur demanded. “What does her menstrual cycle have to do with her being sick?”

            “What does it have to..?” Jessie started, “You mean nobody-?” She looked at Cade who stared at the Elder in shock. She grabbed her husband’s arm and hopped down from the examination table. “Come on, Arthur, I think I need to give you a biology lesson.”  She dragged him towards their quarters.

* * *

 

            “So when a woman misses her monthly cycle, then she’s likely pregnant.” Arthur started.

            “Yes.” Jessie smiled as she saw him connecting the dots mentally.

            “And your last cycle was before the final battle with the Institute three months ago.” Arthur looked from where their hands were joined between them up to meet her gaze. His steel blue eyes were filled with wonder. Does that mean we…?” He couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud, for fear of shattering the dream he thought he was having.

            “We conceived that night, most likely, yes. Are you okay with this?” Jessie cupped his cheek in her hand.

            “Am I okay with this?” He asked incredulously. He took her face in his hands and brought her face in and tenderly kissed her on both cheeks before kissing her lips. “I thought the best day of my life was two weeks ago. I have never been so happy to be wrong. We’re going to have a baby!” He whispered in wonder, tears pricking at his eyes. He seemed to realize something, as he pulled back to look at Jessie seriously. “What about you, though? Are you okay with this? So soon after the Institute and Shaun? If this isn’t something you think you’re ready for, then I’m sure there are options.”

            Jessie sighed, “I think it will definitely be difficult. I may struggle a bit emotionally, but I know that I can handle this with you by my side.” She reached up and squeezed his hand. “It may be sooner than I wanted to get pregnant again, but I think having a baby will be good for me. For us.” Jessie squeezed his hand again.

            “So when would you be due?”

            “Sometime in late August, maybe early September?”

            “Can we still?” Arthur gestured to their bed, still a mess from the hectic morning.

            “We can. And if this pregnancy is going to be anything like my last one, I’m going to be insatiable and very,” she nipped at his lip. “Very,” her hands trailed down to the zip of his jumpsuit and began to undo the buckle that held the top closed. “ _sensitive.”_

Arthur groaned before picking his wife up and bringing her back to the bed to celebrate the beginning of their family.

* * *

 

            “Arthur!” Jessie gasped from her propped up position on their bed as she sat up. She was about 23 weeks along by Cade’s estimation and she was growing at a rapid pace.

            Arthur stood and rushed to her side. “What is it? Are you hungry? Does something hurt?”

            Jessie said nothing and grabbed his wrist and directed his hand to rest beside her belly button. He felt a gentle push against his palm. He jerked his head up to meet her grin. “The baby’s kicking.” Jessie whispered excitedly. The push came again, and he moved his hand to press a kiss to Jessie’s belly.

            “You know, we still haven’t talked about names, yet.” He murmured against her skin.

            “I wish sonograms survived the end of the world. Knowing the gender made picking a name so much easier.” Jessie ran her fingers through Arthur’s hair. “I do have a suggestion, for if it’s a girl.”

            “Mmm?” Arthur joined her on the bed, propping her feet in his lap so he could rub the soreness out of her swollen ankles.

            Jessie groaned. Nate had never been this attentive to her. Every craving was satisfied to the best of the Brotherhood’s abilities, he rubbed her feet when they were red and swollen, and he even helped rub the wasteland’s equivalent to lotion onto places she couldn’t reach to prevent her skin from drying out too much.  “If it’s a girl, I was thinking Sarah Elizabeth.” Arthur’s hands stopped their attentions and he looked up at her in shock.

            “I-“

            “If you don’t like it, we still have four more months to think of more names.” Jessie back tracked. She knew it was risky naming the baby after the former Elder.

            “I love it. If it’s a boy?”

            “I kind of like Alexander. Not so sure about a middle name yet.”

            “James?”

            It was Jessie’s turn to stare in shock. Partially naming their son after the former Paladin revealed to be a synth was risky, and it was Arthur who had suggested it.  “Alexander James Maxson.” She whispered as she rubbed her belly. The baby kicked her hand and she giggled. “I think they like it.” Arthur joined her in her quiet laughter.

* * *

 

            “FUCK ARTHUR I’M GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN THIS IS OVER!” Jessie screamed as she pushed again. She went into labor 26 hours ago, and Arthur prayed that the end was near. She was exhausted and he wanted her pain to end.

            “Come on Jess, just one more push. You can do this, sweetie.” Arthur squeezed her hand and kissed her temple.

            Cade looked up from the end of the bed. “He’s right, Jess. Just one more push, and you’ll be able to hold your baby.”

             The Knight-Captain’s words encouraged both of them. Jessie squeezed Arthur’s hand and screamed with the effort of pushing their baby out of her body. The youngest Maxson greeted the world with a loud cry. “It’s a girl!” Haylen called over the baby’s cries and Cade’s instructions to the other medical Scribes.

            “Bring her to me.” Jessie dropped Arthur’s crushed hand and reached out. Haylen held the bundle close as she began to navigate through the crowded medical bay to introduce Sarah Elizabeth Maxson to her parents.

            The world stopped when Jessie cried out in pain again and grasped Arthur’s hand once more.

            “Cade!” Arthur called out across the room. “What the hell is going on?” It was supposed to be over. She had the baby, she was supposed to rest now, right?

            Cade was kneeling down at the edge of the bed again in an instant. “Arthur and Jessie, you aren’t going to believe this.”

            “Stop fucking around and tell me what’s going on.” Jessie growled out.

            “There’s another baby crowning. You’re having twins.” The world stopped again, before another pain shot through Jessie. Arthur resumed his supportive stance while Haylen took Sarah out of the room.

            Thirty minutes later, and they had also welcomed Alexander James Maxson into the world. Despite his protests and insistence that she needed to rest after they moved her and the babies into their quarters, Jessie insisted on nursing the babies before getting any sleep. “They need to eat, Arthur.” He compromised and held Sarah while she nursed James, and traded off when their son had his fill. Haylen had shown him how to support the head and cradle them close to his chest. He felt clumsy as he stroked the soft cheeks of his babies with a large finger. He knew for a fact that he had been proven wrong once again about the best day of his life. Nothing could possibly be better than this.

            He was drawn out of his thoughts by Jessie’s tired voice. “Arthur, sweetie, what’s wrong?” She furrowed her brow and reached her free hand up to stroke his cheek. It was then that he realized that he had been crying.

            “I’m just so happy. He moved to kiss her palm. I have you and we have our babies. Nothing could spoil this moment. I love you all so much.”

            Jessie’s eyes filled with tears as well. “I love you too, Arthur. More than I’ve loved anything or anybody else. And not even a nuclear war will take you away from me.” She leaned up and kissed him. Below their affectionate kiss, Sarah let go and yawned widely. “I have to agree with little Miss Sarah. I’m exhausted. I think it’s time we all got some rest.” Jessie leaned back in the bed and nodded to the crib. “Put Alexander down first and then come get her, please. I don’t think I can move anymore.”

            Arthur turned and lay his son down, before taking Sarah from his wife’s arms and laying her down next to her brother. After the babies were settled, he lay down next to Jessie in their bed and took her hand. “Now, let’s get some sleep while we can.” Jessie whispered with a chuckle. “Sleeping with one newborn is hard enough. Two will be impossible.”

            Arthur chuckled and got comfortable under the blankets. Surely she was exaggerating, he thought as he drifted off.

            He was proven wrong three hours later when two tiny voices cried into the night.


End file.
